LGBTQ culture in London
England has abolished most anti-gay laws, and attitudes towards gay people have drastically changed in the past 50 years, making the country, especially its capital city, one of the best places in the world for gay equality. In its vast majority, London accepts people for who they are and allows them to share their love with whoever they wish. According to the latest 2021 census in England and Wales, more than 1.3 million identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. After Brighton and Hove, London comes in third for areas with the highest LGBTQ population in England and Wales.
Recognition of LGBTQ rights
In 1967, homosexual private acts between two men over the age of 21 were decriminalised in England and Wales, and about 30 years later, the European Court of Human Rights also legalised the presence of others and sex in hotel rooms. The new millennium brought several positive changes in the lives of gay people in England. In 2000 the change in law allowed gay and bisexual people to serve in the army, and in 2002 same-sex couples were granted equal rights to adopt.
In 2003, the ban on talking about homosexuality in schools was overturned. In 2004, the Labour Government passed the Civil Partnership Act, which gave same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples. The same year, the Labour Government passed the Gender Recognition Act, which allowed transsexual people to acquire a new birth certificate.
In 2007, the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) regulations made discrimination against lesbians and gay men in the provision of goods and services illegal. In 2008, homophobic hatred started to receive punishments, as more than 7,000 homophobic hate crimes were reported in the UK in 2007. In 2014, same-sex marriage in England and Wales became legal, and in 2017, a record of LGBTQ MPs (45) was documented in the Parliament in the general election.
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Pride London
On July 1, 1972, the first Pride festival occurred in London with about 2,000 participants, who marched from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park. In 2023, more than 30,000 people took part in the Pride Festival.
Pride London is a not-for-profit organisation, made up of volunteers who are passionate about equality and diversity. They aim to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues and campaign for the community's freedoms and rights. The London Pride is an open, colourful party to which all genders, sexualities, races, and faiths are welcomed. The heart of this weekend-long festival beats in Central London, at Trafalgar Square and the West End, and its end is marked with a mega street party in Soho. However, there are smaller, satellite events happening throughout the weekend.
Good to know:
The Pride London celebrations begin two weeks before the weekend with cultural events (e.g., theatre, dance, art) and parties everywhere in London.
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Big firms such as Barclays, IBM, Capital Group, and educational institutions such as the London Business School get involved in the London Pride and stand up for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
Important:
The 29th June has been announced as the date for the 2024 Pride London.
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Other London LGBTQ initiatives
London's queer scene found its creative expression in 2011 through the Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest. Every November, pop-up venues, cinemas, art galleries, and basement clubs in East London host film screenings, debates, workshops, interactive activities, and wild parties to celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ community.
Good to know:
Everyone is welcome, and many screenings and events are free.
Winter Pride is an annual cultural event celebrating the diversity of the LGBT community through art and parties since its establishment in 2014. If you wish to meet new people, showcase your skills (or learn new ones), and make a difference in the London LGBTQ scene, you can submit your application for a volunteer position for the upcoming Winter Pride.
LGTB History Month, occurring every February, promotes the welfare of LGBT people and raises cultural awareness by providing LGBT resources, training opportunities, and other services to schools and educational institutions. The goal is to increase the visibility of LGBT people, their history, and their lives and make institutions safe for LGBT people. LGBT History Month wants to ensure an inclusive education system that enables LGBT people to achieve their full potential, lead fulfilling lives, and contribute to society.
A new LGBTQ initiative has arrived in London as a not-for-profit Community Centre, which aims to become an all-day meeting place for discussions, consultations, and activities. The multi-generational and multi-purpose centre has partnered with Rainbow Grow to have its garden.
Useful links:
Fringe!
LGBT History
London LGBTQ Centre
Rainbow Grow
LGBTQ nightlife
London's nightlife is secure and safe for LGBT people and offers an abundance of bars and clubs, especially in Soho, which is the centre of the city's LGBT scene.
Heaven nightclub opened in 1979 in what used to be a roller disco, and it quickly became the reference point for the understated gay community that was keeping a low profile in basement bars and discos. Gay icons such as Madonna and Lady Gaga have performed in Heaven, right underneath Charing Cross station and off Trafalgar Square.
Good to know:
Live events can be attended by 14 years old. However, 14 and 15-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult.
Other venues where LGBT people can create memorable outings are the inclusive Eagle London club in Vauxhall and XXL club in South Bank, the world's most prominent consistent men-only party. However, if you want a more casual, after-work night out with your friends, Comptons pub in Soho has been loyal to the needs and rights of LGBT people for the past 30 years. The pub is Old Compton Street's first lesbian bar and hosts live music and comedy events.
Important:
XXL is a private, male-only members club.
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Heaven
Eagle London
XXL
Comptons
Things to do
There are some LGBTQ landmarks in London that gay people may appreciate more due to their historical significance and the values they represent. You can pay your respects to Virginia Woolf, England's feminist and gay icon, at one of her homes scattered around London. Her childhood home is on 22 Hyde Park Gate; her study pad on 29 Fitzroy Square and Hogarth House is where she and her husband set up their printing press.
If you are a bookworm, and reading is your favourite pastime, you will be pleased to know that London is home to the only gay & lesbian bookshop in the UK. Gays the Word bookshop in the historical area of Bloomsbury has an extensive range of queer literature, gay fiction, and non-fiction.
Good to know:
During LGBT History Month, Gays the Word hosts literature events and becomes a space for discussion and exchange between academics, critics, and the public.
Apart from an excellent recreational place for children and adults, Highbury Fields in Islington is also the historic spot where the first gay rights protest in London took place in 1970, sparked by the arrest of Louis Eakes.
Oscar Wilde's statue entitled 'a conversation with Oscar Wilde' sits off Theatreland. The gifted writer and playwright wouldn't have probably thought of a better place to lie. Oscar Wilde resonates with the LGBT community due to his gay identity, which was illegal during his time and resulted in two years of imprisonment and three years in exile.
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London is less than an hour-long train ride from Brighton, Britain's unofficial gay capital. The seaside city, known for its sunny weather, liberalism, party student life, and eclectic boutiques, has the country's highest proportion of same-sex households. Much of the Brighton LGBTQ scene centres around St. James Street in Kemp Town.
